Come mingle with like-minded business owners, connect with values-based financial services and trainings (including special guest Kat Taylor, CEO of Beneficial State Bank!), and build a progressive voice for small businesses.

Learn about the Main Street Alliance’s work to support vibrant communities and thriving small businesses.

The Main Street Alliance of Washington is denouncing the hypocrisy of American Express for championing small-business shopping on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, while the credit card giant’s financial and tax practices hurt Main Street businesses every day.

Now in its fourth year, “Small Business Saturday” is the marketing invention of American Express, encouraging consumers to “Shop Small” the Saturday after Thanksgiving by using their American Express cards at participating businesses. American Express launched the marketing initiative just a month after the U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company in 2010.

Small-business owners criticize the company for imposing the credit card industry’s highest “swipe fees” at 3.5 percent, and for its record of tax dodging that includes stashing $8.5 billion in profits offshore, which are not currently subject to U.S. taxes.

The Main Street Alliance encourages consumers to support small businesses this holiday season by shopping locally and paying for their purchases with cash.

As Congress enters a season of major budget battles including the threat of a government shutdown at the end of the month, a new survey shows that Washington small business owners support closing offshore tax loopholes and requiring large corporations to pay their fair share of taxes as top priorities.

• Small business owners support ending offshore tax dodging. Sixty-seven percent of respondents support ending offshore tax-haven abuse by requiring U.S. corporations to immediately pay corporate income taxes on offshore profits, with credit for foreign taxes paid, while only small fractions of small business owners support a temporary repatriation tax holiday (17 percent) or territorial tax system (4 percent) – proposals that would expand offshore tax haven use.

“If small businesses are the engine of our economy and consumer demand is the fuel, then corporate offshore tax dodging is like siphoning gas out of the tank,” said Laura Waite, owner of Jay’s Professional Automotive in Renton. “To strengthen our economy, we have to stop allowing large corporations park their profits offshore to avoid paying their fair share.”

As the nation faces the risk of a government shutdown, debt default, and a deepening of across the board budget cuts due to “sequestration,” small businesses support a Wall Street Transaction Tax to generate the resources needed for economy-boosting investments. Seventy-seven percent of respondents say they would support a small tax – a fraction of a percent – on Wall Street trading of financial instruments (stocks, bonds, and derivatives) to raise revenue and discourage financial market speculation.

“In order to grow our economy, we need investments not more budget cuts,” said Tiffany Turner, owner of Adrift Hotel in Long Beach. “Imposing a Wall Street Transaction Tax will generate much needed revenue to support our customer base.”

Small businesses create jobs and deliver essential goods and services in communities across Washington and across America. As those most responsible for job creation, small business owners are key stakeholders in tax reform. Their views will be vital for policy makers and the public to consider as the debates unfolds.

“Its time to listen to Main Street, not Wall Street,” said Chris Nearison, owner of CK Candles in Spokane. “Congress needs to level the playing field for small businesses and stop big corporations from robbing this country of the resources needed to make economy-boosting investments by hiding their profits overseas.”

Each month of delay on immigration reform costs Washington State more than 833 jobs and over $78 million in economic activity, according to a new report released by the Main Street Alliance of Washington at the Vancouver office of Rep. Herrera Beutler.

These are the first-of-their-kind figures on the costs of delaying immigration reform for Washington’s economy.

“When we hit three months since the passage of the Senate package, that delay will have cost Washington State almost 2500 jobs and over $234 million in economic activity,” said Don Orange, owner of Hoesly ECO Automotive in Vancouver and chair of the 2500 member strong Main Street Alliance of Washington. “Every month the House of Representatives continues to stall, it is keeping our local economy from getting out of the slump that no one on Wall Street is talking about.”

“What this report shows is that delaying immigration reform is a job-killer,” said Amy Biviano, an independent CPA in Spokane. “I have a wide range of clients in the Spokane area and can tell you first-hand how the current mess is slowing down folks who are trying to stay afloat or just getting their business off the ground.”

In Long Beach, Tiffany Oakes Turner, owner of Inn at Discovery Coast, agreed: “Everyone knows that America’s recovery is fragile and that we need every boost we can get; comprehensive, common-sense, 21st Century immigration reform is one of them.”

Small business owners urged Representative Herrera Beutler to stand with the Main Street Alliance in calling on her colleagues to get the job done for our businesses and our communities: it is time to say yes to economy-boosting immigration reform.

The week has been an opportunity to spread Main St. wisdom far and wide. More of it needs to be in what comes out of Olympia and Washington D.C.

Washington State has no shortage of incredible people who see their business success tied to the well-being of their communities and the overall security of their customers. One of them is Laura Waite of Renton, who this year with her husband Jay celebrates the 16th anniversary of Jay’s Professional Automotive.

As Main Street Alliance members across the country discuss the benefits of the Affordable Care Act they have already seen and what to look forward to in 2014 and onward (5 days, 5 issues)—we talked to Laura about the lessons she has learned.

When Jay and I started out, buying expensive health insurance seemed completely out of reach. With so many start-up costs there were many other things we did without. When we finally decided to get coverage, Jay and the lead technician were able to get coverage, but I was denied based on a pre-exhibiting condition and this threw doubt in our minds about the future of our business.

When I got that rejection letter, the thought that kept going through my head was that we’d have to close our business and find jobs with health insurance. It was a devastating thought. Then I found out about the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, which is coverage offered as part of health care reform to provide medical insurance until the ban on pre-existing conditions denials takes effect. I signed up. I’m getting the care I need, and my husband and I are still doing what we love. Yes, it is quite right: health care reform saved my auto shop. Continue reading »»

The Association of Washington Business (AWB), our state’s Chamber of Commerce, is fighting to eliminate industry regulations!

Not exactly a “man bites dog” newsflash, huh? After all, that’s what AWB is paid to do: oppose government efforts to regulate private industry. But if there was ever a private-sector industry in need of regulation, it is our failed health insurance system.

Small business, who have paid on average 18 percent more for coverage than large employers, know this first hand. Continue reading »»

The Main Street Alliance of Washington works strategically to provide small businesses a voice on the most pressing public policy issues of our time. Our advocacy promotes vibrant businesses and healthy communities, and fosters leadership development of socially responsible business leaders.

Too often, small businesses are “spoken for” by corporate lobbyists who claim to represent us but are really pushing a Big Business agenda. We’re changing that by creating opportunities for Washington’s small business owners to speak for ourselves – face to face with decision-makers, at public events and through the media.

We work on the issues that matter most to the health of small businesses and our entire communities, including health care, financial reform, jobs and the economy, responsible budgets, and immigration reform.

And we’re making an impact. We have a history of accomplishments because of the involvement of our members, led by a statewide steering committee of small business leaders.

Please spend time on our website to learn more about our mission and coalition principles, the issues we work on, our independent research, Main Street Alliance members in the media, the latest from our blog, and, most importantly, how you can get involved.